Returning from a Herniated Disc

I had an MRI a little over a week ago that confirmed my fears--I have a herniation between L5 and S1. I have significant sciatic pain down my left leg, including a feeling of cramping in the calf and hamstring, and numbness in several of my toes.

I'm not looking for a diagnosis, but rather input from those who have experienced similar issues. How long were you on the shelf? Were you able to avoid surgery? For those of you that had surgery, how did the layoff affect certain aspects of your game (distance, accuracy, stamina, etc.)

Thanks for any help.

I'm pretty sure you will NEVER win another major, at least that's been the consensus of 100s of people on here for years (unless you go back to Butch).

I have no idea, but hope you get some helpful insights and things go well. Having struggled with a knee longer than I should have, it can be worrisome, and a back is far more worrisome, at least to me. Hope you can also get sound medical advice.

L4-L5 herniation (Level 3 - ruptured and oozing) when I was 30 years old. I've always had a bit of lower cross syndrome, even as a adolescent.

The worst part wasn't the pain, sleepless nights, or infuriating doctoral opinions and seeming lack of answers. Nope, it was not being able to pick up my newborn son. Golf didn't really factor.

Found a great doctor. Went with surgery after other options proved less than fruitless. Close to full recovery after 2 months. Yahoo for being young, lol! Back playing golf as well as I ever have.

Start taking care of yourself. Look up the Limber 11 and some stability routines. There is a really good 15 minute one out there, but I can't remember which one it is. It has been suggested on here many times. Get in shape, take some strain off your back. You'll be able to play golf again.

Last but not least, stick with your program. The normal thing to do when you work a program and start to feel better is to get lazy with the program. Don't. Stick with it.

Best of luck and hope you get well soon. See you on the links!

Rick,I am two weeks out from discectomy and my doctor wants me to wait four weeks to begin making any golf move. Chipping at six weeks and partial wedges at eight weeks. Full swings at ten weeks.

He told me to enjoy a little time off. Think about Tigers early return if you just can't wait!

First off, sorry about your issues, I can relate. I had a herniated disc (L4 - L5) about 10 -12 years ago. My fault, decided to move a fireplace hearth made of solid granite.

Anyway, tremendous pain in the back and running down the leg curling up in my calf. Multiple Dr. appointments, traction, even got steroid shots directly into the effected area which helped for a short time. Finally saw another Dr who recommended surgery. Discectomy i guess. Never went through with it.

I took a last ditch effort and went and saw a chiropractor. Strange for me, because I always made fun of them and never took them seriously, but I figured, what the hell could it hurt if I had to have surgery eventually anyway. Luckily my issue happened in the late fall and I had time all winter to work through my options.

Long story short, I looked hard and researched hard and found one who was well versed in sports related issues. I talked with him about not only getting rid of the pain but making me mobile enough to get back and play. He had me up my Glucosamine and worked me two or three times a week manipulating the area. Took a few weeks to see any results. But gradually by 8 weeks or so I was limber enough to move. He did a really good job and I couldn't be happier with how it worked out

Big thing for me was and still is stretching and proper technique. I still need to stretch well before playing. And it has slowed my swing down a bit so I concentrate on technique and not overpowering the game like I used to. I also lost some weight and strengthened my core. Those muscles also support the back and it really helped. I take a couple Motrin prior to playing so I can move freely without thinking about tightening up. I'm playing some of the best golf of my life and shooting in the 70's pretty consistently.

I prefer to walk now instead of riding. Walking keeps my back looser but now I have a push cart I use instead of just carrying which I can only do if I play 9. i also play a bit more defensively when I get an odd lie or stance. You can just tell when you get up on the ball and see that your hands are going to "dig in" or your follow through will leave you off balance and twisted. I just take a drop ( "my medicine") and remember I'm just happy to be able to play.

I'm at the bad end of the spectrum - I couldn't swing a club for nine years after herniating two lumbar discs. I couldn't walk for a week and walked with a cane for 6 months, so I was in bad shape. I did not have surgery and I was 50 years old at the time. I started playing again a few years ago, but I'm basically a hacker now. Good luck. Don't worry, you shouldn't have anywhere near as much trouble as me, but rest and strenghtening your core are important.

Herniated discs are the best way I know to turn a +3 into a miserable hack.

I had L4 and L5 fused in 2009. The absolute best decision I've made for my quality of life... and for my golf swing. Seven years later, and I'm swinging faster than before it went south.

Good luck!

Same issue. L5S1 disc. Sciatic down leg. Numb foot. Extensive PT. No surgery.

Summary of process:

- Mackenzie exercises w/PT to recede disc and centralize pain...moved pain from down leg to right butt / low back

- No pain...this was 4 weeks of PT to get to no pain

- Started on work on strengthening core...on-going project.

- Do PT daily and yoga now to work on flexibility

- Walk not ride for golf

- Use standing desk for work vs sit

Been dealing w/this for 2 years. On-going process.

Hope this helps. PM w/questions.

One herniated and one bulging pretty badly and avoiding surgery so far. I was off for quite a few months but haven't had much trouble since coming back. I'm a pretty big fan of Foundation Training.

I suffered a ruptured disc,in 2010,with a large herniation L5/S1.I was offered a fusion but opted for ESI(epidural steroid injection),which helped with my PT.Reinjured my back 12 months later and was offered a Micro discectomy,again opted for the ESI and physical therapy.With the rupture I was out for 7 months and the re-injury 3.After my 3rd MRI I still have small disc bulges at L4/L5 L5/S1 as these discs have degenerated.Stability and stretching exercises have kept me playing but my lower spine is not 100% stable and I do get small spasms.
Returning to playing was tentative and I've had to work hard on stability,mobility and flexibility and a back friendly technique that still produces speed.I have lost a little distance but I'm now 47 so no big deal.It's been hard to keep surgery free and still playing though.Best of luck with your recovery.

I had two herniated discs operated on in early 1991 (L4/5 and L5/S1). I was playing pretty good golf again by May that year, but found I needed heavier clubs for some reason. Unfortunately, I had recurrence in 1994 when I had another operation and again in 1995, then last year (2014) my toes became numb in both feet and my legs weakened, with pain at the back of both knees and it was thought I might have spinal stenosis resulting from the previous surgeries. However, on further MRI it was found that it was a spinal dural arterio-venous fistula, so I then had arteriograms and they showed the level of the fistula, which was then operated on a few days later.
I suppose it's not surprising, as I am myself a doctor (radiologist) and doctors always seem to get whatever their patients do, but worse!!
The conclusion of all this is that in between operations, golf has been OK, but of course turning the shoulders is more difficult and you will have to make a conscious effort to turn them. It takes about two to three months to recover from spinal surgery (much more of course if a fusion is carried out) and you should not rush it. Allow time for healing (Scar tissue takes about three months to become "solid") and do not rush to return to golf.

If you take your time, you should make a full recovery and within a year or so, you will have forgotten you ever had a problem.

I think the watchwords here are "Consciously turn the shoulders on the backswing".

Good luck, best wishes, and keep golfing !!

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll definitely look up the Limber 11 and information on The Foundation.

I've had problems with by back since I got in a car wreck 16 years ago, and it bothered me a lot in my early 20s. Eventually, through stretching I got to the point where it was never much of an issue, but I always got tired sooner than I should have given my physical condition (as in unable to hold any positions well after a medium bucket of balls), and a proper putting stance caused pain in my low back. These were obviously warning signs of a problem not fully taken care of.

I'm hoping to turn this into a positive for my golf game, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about long-term consequences for the rest of my life, too, as I've spent most of the last three weeks on my back and on a bevy of painkillers and NSAIDs.

What I find most troubling is the lack of certainty over it all--long range studies indicate that there really isn't a panacea--PT works as well or better than surgery for some, some can get epidurals and never have a problem, another group can have large herniations with little-to-no symptoms, while some require multiple surgeries that never totally rectify the issue.

Best regards

[quote name='MrDuffer' timestamp='1451265469' post='12769742']
First off, sorry about your issues, I can relate. I had a herniated disc (L4 - L5) about 10 -12 years ago. My fault, decided to move a fireplace hearth made of solid granite.

Anyway, tremendous pain in the back and running down the leg curling up in my calf. Multiple Dr. appointments, traction, even got steroid shots directly into the effected area which helped for a short time. Finally saw another Dr who recommended surgery. Discectomy i guess. Never went through with it.

I took a last ditch effort and went and saw a chiropractor. Strange for me, because I always made fun of them and never took them seriously, but I figured, what the hell could it hurt if I had to have surgery eventually anyway. Luckily my issue happened in the late fall and I had time all winter to work through my options.

Long story short, I looked hard and researched hard and found one who was well versed in sports related issues. I talked with him about not only getting rid of the pain but making me mobile enough to get back and play. He had me up my Glucosamine and worked me two or three times a week manipulating the area. Took a few weeks to see any results. But gradually by 8 weeks or so I was limber enough to move. He did a really good job and I couldn't be happier with how it worked out

Big thing for me was and still is stretching and proper technique. I still need to stretch well before playing. And it has slowed my swing down a bit so I concentrate on technique and not overpowering the game like I used to. I also lost some weight and strengthened my core. Those muscles also support the back and it really helped. I take a couple Motrin prior to playing so I can move freely without thinking about tightening up. I'm playing some of the best golf of my life and shooting in the 70's pretty consistently.

I prefer to walk now instead of riding. Walking keeps my back looser but now I have a push cart I use instead of just carrying which I can only do if I play 9. i also play a bit more defensively when I get an odd lie or stance. You can just tell when you get up on the ball and see that your hands are going to "dig in" or your follow through will leave you off balance and twisted. I just take a drop ( "my medicine") and remember I'm just happy to be able to play.
[/quote]

What he said.....

[quote name='Sweetdraw' timestamp='1451273410' post='12770340']
Same issue. L5S1 disc. Sciatic down leg. Numb foot. Extensive PT. No surgery.

Summary of process:

- Mackenzie exercises w/PT to recede disc and centralize pain...moved pain from down leg to right butt / low back

- No pain...this was 4 weeks of PT to get to no pain

- Started on work on strengthening core...on-going project.

- Do PT daily and yoga now to work on flexibility

- Walk not ride for golf

- Use standing desk for work vs sit

Been dealing w/this for 2 years. On-going process.

Hope this helps. PM w/questions.
[/quote]

Another great option, here.

Sweetdraw, would you mind giving me more insight into your recovery? I’m a month into rest with pain still occurring in my hamstring, calf, and numbness in the right foot. I have PT scheduled to start next week and a consultation lined up with a neurosurgeon on June 10th. After reading several stories and outcomes this is a common yet scary injury. Hoping to forgo surgery, but sounds like a lot of positive outcomes for microdisectomies, disc replacement, or spinal fusion.

I’m 34 years old, love golf and fear never returning to full strength. I’m an optimist by trade, but this is scary stuff. Thanks in advance.

@SWMIGolfer

First off, I hope the disk is only mildly herniated so PT and rest will be successful. I have never had a surgeon tell me they wanted to do the surgery. Rather they all said, this won’t get better on its own.

I had my first L5 micro at 20 years old. I had my second L5 micro at 34, then a micro on L4 at 50.

This is a golf forum so I will tell you (for me) my golf didn’t suffer after the first one. I had to change my swing completely after the second one. I have started to lose distance and the ability to compress the ball after my third one. But, and this is important, I can still play, though not as well as I would like. I can also tie my shoes, put on socks, and generally lead a normal physical life.

If the doctor says, “SWMI, we gotta do surgery,” it isn’t a death sentence. Whatever they recommend for PT be vigilant (I certainly wasn’t at 20 years old), and best of luck.

I lived with sciatica down my right side for 20 years. I herniated my l5s1 multiple times during that period, but due to my mother having multiple back surgeries and being on some major pain medicine, I chose to do nothing about it. During the 20 years I couldn’t stand in place for any length of time, but for the most part I played a lot of tennis in the summer and went snowboarding in the winter. But the pain was always there, some days I could barely move, other days I did my best to ignore it. Finally my now wife convinced me to go to a chiropractor. After about 10 adjustments with no relief he had me get an mri, then he referred me to a neurosurgeon. I had a cortisone shot which did nothing, also did some pt. About a year later it got significantly worse and back for another mri. This time he recommended surgery. Had a microdiscectomy at l5s1 in late summer, returned to golf the next spring. It took a long time for my he sciatica to completely go away, it also took a couple of years for my body to stop trying to protect my back. After 2 years my back started cracking again, something that hasn’t happened since before any of this started. I am now 4 years post op, and still have nerve damage, which to my understanding I always will, but no sciatica, and when my back starts to hurt, finding a way to crack it usually fixes it pretty well.

The last thing I will say, is I wish I would have had surgery sooner. I put on a lot of weight the last couple years before surgery, due to not moving as much, and I still haven’t been able to get rid of it.

Your chances of a full recovery are very reliant on one important detail, does your MRI report say anything about disc degeneration or loss of disc signal?

If you only have the herniation and minimal to no degeneration, you can do press-ups, other controlled extension exercises, and DDP yoga (avoid flexion exercises) and you can feel as good as new.

If you have severe disc degeneration, all these things will probably help some, but you'll never get to a full recovery.

Either way, I recommend yoga, press ups, and buy a collagen powder supplement to help rebuild the annulus of the disc. I may relatively be young, but I've experienced my own back injury, a herniated disc that was caused by my ultimate problem, a spinal fracture of the pars interarticularis. I've studied back injuries inside and out the last several years, done over a year of PT, experimented with yoga programs, my fiance is a therapy student, and consulted surgeons. Feel free to ask any further questions and I would love to try to help. Back pain has become a passion of mine.

I had L5 S1 partial micro disectomy in 1999 now in my fifty’s I have L5 s1 and L4 L5 issues plus a vertebra broken. They did an mri could not see anything due to the arthritis in my spinal column. I do the therapy plus some resistance bands but the doctor said I will most likely go down again.

I have to wait to see a surgeon six weeks it’s crazy. My exercises are helping but in reality my back is damaged goods !!

Dear SomedayScratch

Can you recommend any videos on modifying the golf swing to minimize spinal rotation and strain. There is a neurosurgery article that suggests that the older style swing of Nicklaus was more spine friendly than the current long hitter swing. Just wondering since you stated you did a lot of research into this.